Sometimes Life is Random. Like this Post.

The other night I was wondering aloud to the Mister about the “There’ll be scary ghost stories” line in the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” Christmas carol. I think this wondering angered some kind of poltergeist in our house, because last night a large framed picture jumped off the wall right onto my head. Totally random. The Mister laughed at this near death experience and I may be slightly concussed; so if anything I write is odder than usual, this is my explanation. (alright, he did get me an ice pack too).

Marching on.

I was having a craft moment & made these adorable little ornaments for family members this year – pictures of their kids, dated (via FotoFlexer), in a small frame. Add some ribbon as a hanger, and I fancied it with a red jingle bell, but you could use just about anything. It’s a sweet memento.

Here’s some easy and simple to do ideas to help you avoid those graceless & awkward holiday moments of “Oh, you-who-I-have-nothing-for got me a gift, fantastic”.

I’m taken with this DIY gift, and think it’s perfect for hostesses, teachers, neighbours….anyone with skin really. Which broadens the field for you. Sugar scrubs are relatively quick & easy to put together, and many require only ingredients that you’d have on hand. I love this first one that Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table & Dreamingcreated, and TipJunkiehas 14 more recipes you could choose from.

Wenderlyoffers a detailed tutorial on planting some paperwhites – this is a lovely gift instead of flower bouquets. Or for someone who loves to cook, a tray with 3 or 4 tiny herb plants would be charming and more personal.

Last week I showed you the Christmas-ing going on at our house….(no, we still don’t have a kitchen ceiling), but the trees are up, and everything feels beautiful. We do real trees in the Family Room and in the Living Room front window. Here’s some more of our Pretty….

Riley & Milo getting in on the action. They are quite enthusiastic about Christmas really (here as you can see they are carolling).

Last but not least, I found this ….. it’s a bit of a modern take on ‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus’, and it’s such a sweet way to explain Santa if your kids are onto the whole thing & wondering.

…..<excerpt> …The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.

I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too).

I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won’t make you Santa, though.

Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.

Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.

With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too…..And really, even for us grown-ups, there’s a message here we can all benefit from. The enchantment of Christmas is unseen; its magic lives in our hearts.